The Dragon Warrior (Lochguard Highland Dragons 4)

Chapter One

Faye MacKenzie tapped her fingers against her thigh and the sound echoed inside her small, empty cottage.

Living alone was boring.

After years of threatening to move out because of her older twin brothers or her mother’s meddling nature, Faye had finally gotten a place of her own once her mum had mated the human male named Ross Anderson. Even after a few weeks and haphazardly unpacking a few things, it still didn’t feel like home. It was just too quiet.

Her dragon spoke up. You’ll always have me.

I know, but it’s not the same. I miss my family.

Then visit them.

She sighed. I do every day. But everyone is newly mated, except for Finn and he’s worrying about Arabella and their triplets’ impending birth.

Then find something else to do. Until then, I’m going to sleep.

So much for her dragon always being there for her.

With a sigh, she moved to the window. She missed the old days when she had been Lochguard’s head Protector. Going from sixteen-hour work days to not having a steady job had been tough.

Yet as she reached behind her and touched her back, where her damaged wing bone would emerge when she shifted into a dragon, Faye wasn’t delusional about her future. No amount of physical therapy would get her back into perfect shape, which was required for the head of security for any dragon clan.

Grant McFarland now possessed her old job.

Stupid Grant. While she was no longer upset at him for taking her job as head Protector, he still wouldn’t enlist her as a full-time member of his team, not even for something as boring as surveillance monitoring. Aye, he’d allowed her to help with the attack on Lochguard back in January, but he’d barely paid attention to her since.

Even when she did track him down, he had been too nice to her as of late. She didn’t want to think it was out of pity, but her family could meddle and might have convinced him to humor her for a time. If so, that was a million times worse.

Well, she was tired of waiting and wondering. It was time to corner Grant and force him to give her a job.

With a growl, she exited the cottage and ignored everyone she passed. Once she set her mind on something, Faye didn’t like to be disturbed, especially by yet another person asking if she was okay or how was her wing doing.

If they ever looked to the sky, they’d have a bloody idea.

Her dragon raised her head. Your temper won’t convince him.

Being nice bloody well hasn’t. He didn’t like it when I won against him before. I think it’s time to bring up the past and use it to my advantage.

Sometimes, the past should stay in the past.

Whose side are you on?

I’m not going to answer that. Unless you start kissing him, I’m going to let you settle this yourself.

The memory of when Faye had been cleaning a wound on Grant’s bare chest and he’d leaned down as if to kiss her flashed into her mind.

Faye still didn’t believe she’d nearly closed the distance to press her lips against his.

No. Grant was nothing but trouble. He’d made it quite clear a few years ago what he truly thought of her. While he might be slightly more mature and had learned to be civil with her, Faye didn’t think he’d changed too much.